Quote Originally Posted by Cat View Post
The Lion Rampant itself has been a symbol of Scotland for a long time...far before the time when England declared Scotland to be part of the UK. The current Lion Rampant standard (flag) is supposed to be reserved for the Sovereign of Scotland (ie, the Queen of England) when she is in town. Technically, it's illegal in Scotland for anyone to display this flag other than the Queen's residence.

Having said that, I have many articles where MANY Scots happily display this flag in protest to England "commandeering" the Lion Rampant and as a sign of Scottish heritage (despite the risk of getting fined.) But it's the Lion Rampant that is the symbol of Scotland, not the flag design itself.

My mailbox placeholder has a Lion Rampant underneath my name (just the lion, not the flag design or any border or anything), and I am proud of it. I also have a Lion Rampant sticker on my car, although I cut off pretty much everything besides the lion itself. Just look at all the Lion Rampant kilt pins and fly-plaid brooches out there...and they all have the lion by itself, and not within the flag design.
I'm sorry, but I can't agree with this. The LR was a symbol of the Scottish monarchs long before the Union of the Crowns in which England accepted a Scottish monarch, James VI, after the death of Elizabeth I of England.

The Lion Rampant has always been the monarch's standard since Alexander II in the 1200s, although some legends trace it to William "the Lion".

Regards,

Todd